Home of a thousand religions. Religion – our Context Definitional problems with the term Contextual issues “Religion” in the West derives from ligare.

Mother IndiaHome of a thousand religions

Religion – our ContextDefinitional problems with the term

Contextual issues “Religion” in the West derives from ligare "bind,

connect"; likely from a prefixed re-ligare, i.e. re (again) + ligare or "to reconnect.“

The term “religion” was introduced into many cultures by Westerners, as many communities did not see a need to differentiate the term

Religion in the Ancient worldReligious Identity was

more of a representation of the local ‘lifecraft’ of choice

Acts of devotion and loyalty were geo-politically located and interchangeableNot terribly unlike

political partiesLargely about tax-

bases

Religion and politicsFrom Egyptian to Late-Roman times, there

was little distinction between “religious identity” and “political identity.”

The mixture of “religious” and “political” identity, although usually present, is not as emphasized in other cultures around the world

Different views on religionReligion as a set of

beliefsSupernatural beings

Classical Western Monotheism definition All powerful, All

knowing, Omni-benevolent The Theist Position The Deist Position

Different views on religionTheist Deist

A personal, omnipresent God

Involved, and invested, in the microprocesses of the world In this view, questions

are a sign of poor faith

An impersonal, departed God

Set the game up in advance and is sitting back, watching it unfold In this view, questions

are a sign of good faith

Non-Monotheistic SystemsGenerally, non-

monotheistic systems are polytheistic, and consist of soap-opera-like explanations of the different gods and the games they play with each other and humanity

Consider the tale of Prometheus Link: http://www.authorama.com/old-greek-stories-5.html

India and The VedasIn the case of India,

we find the earliest known religious texts, i.e., the Vedas

The Vedas consist of four main parts

The Rig VedaThe YajurvedaThe SamavedaThe Atharvaveda

The VedasThese books

consisted of a 1000 or so verses that served as ritual manuals, priestly duties, and the occasional philosophical speculation.

The VedasAll of what would

later be known as Indic Religion and Philosophy is, in various degrees, responding or reacting to the initial ideas set up in the Vedas.

Vedic Culture(s)These early Vedic

culture(s) serve as the roots of what would later be a large number of religious traditions HinduismBuddhismJainism

Each of these traditions is, to some degree, responding or reacting to the Vedas

HinduismThe term itself is

problematic, as it has non-Indian origins

Originally, the invading Muslims (starting around the 7th century) coined the term to designate “non-Muslims”.

HinduismThey had to cross the

Indus River to enter India, which was called “Sindu” in ancient Persian, so the people on the other side were simply called “Sindus”, which, when transliterated from Persian, became “Hindu”

HinduismUnlike religions in the

West, there is very little tying the myriad of traditions and philosophies of this continent together except

Their response or reaction to the Vedic ideas

The ideas of Dharma and Karma

Dharma in HinduismThis view of Dharma

originates in the VedasThe Vedas, it is believed,

are the sound of the Universe itself, an embedded instruction manual available to those who can hear it.

Thus, Dharma is, initially, the correct engagement of the Universe via the instruction manual. That is, it is a proper Vedic ritual or sacrifice

Dharma in HinduismOne of the most

influential Vedic text on present day Indian society is Rig Veda 10.90, the Purusha Sukta

In this verse we get a quasi-creation story in which the primordial man, the Purusha, is sacrificed by the God(s) to bring about the world of man. This act creates and sustains what is called the caste system, or the Varnas and Jatis

Dharma in HinduismThe head is transformed into

knowledge, and from it springs forth the Brahmin Caste Vedic poets, priests, scholars,

teachers, landownersThe Arms represent strength,

and becomes the Kshatriya caste nobility, warriors, landowners

The Abdomen and legs becomes the Vaisya caste 'the people' : traders and

farmersThe feet become the Sudra caste

artisans, workers, servants and household slaves

Brahmins/priest class

Kshatriya/warriors-rulers

Vaisya/merchants

Sudra/menial labor

Dharma in HinduismThere is also an additional

caste, not mentioned in this text, that, up until recent times, was called the “Untouchable” caste. This was the ultimate

outsider in society, those who did not fit at all and were the receipts of the harshest social cruelty

Currently, they have renamed themselves “Dalits”, meaning “oppressed” and are actively seeking social justice for their caste

Karma in HinduismThe basic idea is that

every action generates conditions for more than the mere visible effect

In a Vedic context, karma refers specifically to the rituals and sacrifices

Social Order in HinduismGods

Semi-Gods

Humans

Animals

Hungry Ghosts and Hell-beings

Social Order in HinduismBrahmins/priest class

Kshatriya/warriors-rulers

Vaisya/merchants

Sudra/menial labor

Can read, write, and teach the Vedas

Can learn and read the Vedas

Can only hear the Vedas. Can’t read

them or write them

Can’t read, write, or even hear the Vedas or speak of

them

Ethics in HinduismBrahmins

Kshatriyas

Vaisya

As these three upper sections, or “twice-borns”, have the opportunity to learn the Vedas (in varying degrees) they are also expected to adhere to the four stages of

life

Four Stages of LifeOnce a higher Caste

Birth is achieved, then a “twice-born” is obligated to follow the Four Stages of Life, or the ĀshramasThe Āshramas are in

turn governed by the four goals of human life

Dharmakama (sensual

pleasure) artha (wealth)moksha (liberation

from samsara)

BhavaChakra

Also known as Samsara

Four Stages of Life The first is Brahmacharya, or the

student stage

The second is Grihastha, or the householder stage

The Third is Vanaprastha, or the forest-dweller stage

The Final stage is Moksha, or the stage of liberation

Dharma is the objective

Kama and artha

This is a preparation stage

Dharma and

Moksha

Overall Structure of Hindu EthicsThe ethical thing to do for a given individual

is based on their Caste and stage of life, or, their Dharma is based on their Varna and Ashrama

This particular understanding of one’s specific dharma is called their Varnashrama Dharma

Overall Structure of Hindu EthicsThe ethical thing to do for a given individual

is based on their Caste and stage of life, or, their Dharma is based on their Varna and Ashrama

This particular understanding of one’s specific dharma is called their Varnashrama Dharma

The VedasNot only are the texts

written in a distinctly Indian style, i.e., in a very evocative style, but Sanskrit itself is an amazingly flexible languageThe alphabet is

structured in accordance to the sounds within the human voice

Sanskrit

Sanskrit